WEST Somerset Council’s long-term future is in grave jeopardy after a plea to the Government for financial help was turned down.

One scenario is that the beleaguered council could disappear in a merger with another local authority.

The Free Press has learned that a delegation headed by council leader Anthony Trollope-Bellew has met Local Government Minister Marcus Jones to plead for compensation for “a unique and unfair situation” caused by Hinkley Point B nuclear power station’s successful business rates appeal.

This meant that the council has had to refund the Government £1.6 million from its own reserves and still make provision for an annual loss of a further £300,000 in business rates income from Hinkley Point.

The council had been pressing for a meeting with the Government since last July to seek help to cushion the devastating impact of the Hinkley Point B appeal.

Speaking exclusively to the Free Press this week Cllr Trollope-Bellew said: “I am particularly angry that we have had to repay £1.6 million to the Government, which is money we never had in the first place.

“When we saw the Minister it was obvious very quickly that nothing we could say would change the situation. We were told there was no money available, so go back home and merge with some other council.

“We were annoyed and disappointed with the reception we received because we thought we had a good case.”